Moonlight
by FreekyDisaster18
Summary: Mal finds River sat in the helm staring at the three moons.


**AUTHORS NOTE: So I got the Firefly boxset for Christmas because the guy had HMV had told my parents that he'd think I'd like this (a little weird, I know) but the guy was right. It's a fantastic TV series and I'm so excited about writing for it! This is my first attempt though so all criticisms are welcome! The titles come from a prompt table over on the Taggart archive.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters.**

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**[Moonlight]**

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Serenity was on autopilot so that Wash could spend some time with Zoe but not prevent anyone else from doing their activities. The course they were on was a steady one so there had been no complaints about the action. Mal, however, decided that it was time for him to go check on the system as it had been unmanned now for an hour or so. Running up the steps, he paused in the doorway as he saw River sat with her knees up in Wash's chair just staring out of the front window with her chin resting on her knees.

"Are you okay, Mei Mei?" Even though the name meant little sister, everyone on the ship had started calling her the name without even thinking about it because it seemed to be a name she responded to the most. It seemed to calm her down when someone called her that when she was on one of her trips. If she heard him, she didn't show him any action that she had and just continued staring out the window.

Mal didn't know if he liked the idea of River being up here alone. Recently she'd been getting more unstable, her actions crazy and without a reason but every time Mal gave her one more chance. He could see it in Simon's eyes how much it was killing him inside that this girl wasn't the beloved little sister that had gone away to what they'd originally believed to be a fancy school for genius' like River. He took another step into the helm and looked at her. "Mei Mei?" he repeated and this time she did turn to look at him, a smile brightening up her face as if she'd not seen him in a long time.

"Hello Mal. Mal Reynolds." She said like she did most times she saw him. If he was lucky, she wouldn't give him a list of his credentials or continue to say that he was a bad man. She seemed to only do that on her worst days. He moved to rest on the console where Zoe would normally perch to keep Wash company and looked down at her.

"Sweetheart," he didn't know where the affectionate name came from but he didn't bat an eyelid as he continued, "does your brother know you're here?" She looked over at him and then the smug smile that came onto her face every time she mentioned her brother appeared.

"Simon worries. He keeps me locked up. I don't like it." Mal had to admit for a genius, he'd never heard River speak in anything more than a few short phrases that sometimes didn't even go well but she'd repeat them as if expecting someone to answer her rambles. He did smile though at her acting like a bratty little sister towards the way Simon treated her. Mal knew the young girl realised how much Simon threw away to save her but he also knew that the chokehold the brother had hold of her didn't please her much.

"So what are you doing up here, Mei Mei?" He asked again and she pointed beyond up at the sky causing him to turn round. In front of them was three of the 'verses moons just shining together. He hadn't noticed as he'd walked in that the helm was lit up thanks to the silvery light and it also made River look much more magnificent and beautiful. He couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of them. Due to the trouble they normally got in when they were travelling, Mal never took the opportunity just to marvel the wonders that were in his sky lately. "Well isn't that a sight for sore eyes. Shiny." He said smiling and River looked at him. He could tell that she was trying to read his face for sarcasm but when she didn't see it, she smiled up at him.

"It's beautiful," she agreed with him before returning her gaze back to the three globes and as Mal turned to look at her, the fascination on her face as she stared at a scene that normal people wouldn't take a second glance at, he decided that it wasn't the only beautiful thing on thing on offer that night.


End file.
